Icy slip-and-fall in parking lot results in $200,000 settlement

Irina Stanilovskaya, a medical worker who slipped and fell in an icy parking lot, has settled her lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court, St. George, for $200,000, said her lawyer.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A medical worker who broke her ankle when she slipped and fell on ice two years ago in the parking lot of the Dongan Hills building where she worked has settled her lawsuit for $200,000, her lawyer said.

Irina Stanilovskaya, 35, was employed as a lab assistant and phlebotomist at Metropolitan Specialty Labs at 1551 Richmond Road on Jan. 6, 2015, said attorney Edward J. Pavia Jr. of the Eltingville law firm of Jonathan D'Agostino & Associates.

It had been snowing for a while when Stanilovskaya reported to work around 9 a.m., Pavia said.

As Stanilovskaya walked across the building's parking lot, she slipped and fell on ice, said the attorney.

The Castleton Corners resident was taken to Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, with a fractured left ankle and ultimately underwent surgery, court documents said.

Stanislovskaya sued Interstate Development, the building owner, and Ivy Realty Services, the managing agent, in state Supreme Court, St. George. Metropolitan Specialty Labs was not named in the suit.

The defendants contended they were not liable and invoked the "storm in progress" doctrine which says a property owner has no duty to clear snow while it is snowing, said Pavia.

However, once the storm has stopped, responsible parties must clear the snow within a reasonable time period -- four hours if snowfall ceases between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. -- with somewhat different parameters if it ends at other times.

Stanilovskaya contended she fell on ice that was beneath a thin layer of snow, said Pavia.

The pitch and grade of the parking lot created a ponding condition, causing ice to form in sub-freezing temperatures, she alleged, according to Pavia.

His client maintained the defendants were on notice of the recurring ponding, but failed to rectify the problem, Pavia said.